Without a car Mt. Coot-tha you can bus to. Ferny Grove train line ride towards Samford about 3-4K and there is a good area around there. If you want to see diamonds in the wild then looking around Wilson's Outlook reserve in the valley (infact along any of the cliff line around Brisbane and Kangaroo Point). Enoogerra Creek reserve is another accessible by bus. You can train it out to Beerburrum plenty of state and national forrest there to go and explore.
Sorry I don't know much about the southside, so much on that side of the city has changed and been developed since I was a kid.
what about a train to Boondall and a 5 minute [max] walk to Boondall Wetlands with miles of concrete and timber walkways all you need is a good torch...cheers solar 17 [Baden]
huntinton park in brookfield. went there to day saw over 50 ewd's, a lacy green treesnake, and 4 or 5 turtles n i was there for only couple of hours. allso simpsons falls in mount cootha awsome for lacys but dont feed the. thats becoming a issue there.
cheers jake